Nov
20
Written by:
Bob Flynn
11/20/2009 7:00 AM
Virtue — Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law. (Noah Webster)
Noah Webster, in 1828, defined a Christian as follows:
(1) A believer in the religion of Christ.
(2) A professor of his belief in the religion of Christ.
(3) A real disciple of Christ; one who believes in the truth of the Christian religion, and studies to follow the example, and obey the precepts, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by real piety.
(4) In a general sense, the word Christians includes all who are born in a Christian country or of Christian parents.
Virtue — Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law. In this sense, virtue may be, and in many instances must be, distinguished from religion. The practice of moral duties merely from motives of convenience, or from compulsion, or from regard to reputation, is virtue, as distinct from religion. The practice of moral duties from sincere love to God and his laws, is virtue and religion. In this sense it is true, that virtue only makes our bliss below. Virtue is nothing but voluntary obedience to truth. (Noah Webster)
The word gentleman originally meant something recognizable; one who had a coat of arms and some landed property. When you called "a gentleman" you were not paying him a compliment, but merely stating a fact. If you said he was not "a gentlemen" you were not insulting him , but giving information….A gentleman, once it has been spiritualized and refined out of its old coarse, objective sense, means hardly more than a man whom the speaker likes. As a result, gentlemen is now a useless word." C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Today we could have the same discussion over the word Christian. Over the past 2,000 years the meaning of this word has been so changed and distorted to the point that its definition would depend upon whom you ask. There are those whose lives exemplify the word Christian. Names that come to mind are Billy Graham and George Beverly Shea (Bev who just celebrated his 100th birthday). Then there are others who would exemplify what it is like to be deceived and fall into the fire stoked by one's own sin. Virtue, though, is something that appears to transcend religion because there are such things discussed as "Cardinal Virtues" (prudence, temperance, justice, and fortitude). The cardinal virtues are recognized by all of civilization. They are recognized by their appearance within the inhabitance of the culture. The same would be true of the Christian. We are recognized by the doing! If that doing includes act of virtue, then Christians may be considered virtuous. But if these acts emanate from duty then they be but empty. If they emanate from a heart sung full of the love of Christ, then they may be works of bliss. Duty or blessing, the heart must decide.
Copyright ©2009 Robert Flynn